What is Pi Day?
Pi Day is an unofficial but increasingly popular holiday celebrated around the world on March 14. William Jones, a little-known mathematics teacher, first used the symbol π to represent the concept of Pi.
Pi Day was founded by physicist Larry Shaw in 1988. Pi represents a constant—the ratio of the circumference of any circle to its diameter, which is approximately 3.14159. Regardless of the circle’s size, this ratio will always equal Pi.
Though Pi is a little more advanced math skill for elementary students, the teachers at each grade level are planning some fun Pi Day activities in their classrooms. Students are encouraged to celebrate Pi Day on Thursday, March 14, by dressing up in Pi Day shirts or like a famous mathematician, physicist, or scientist, such as Albert Einstein who, being born on March 14, was one of the world’s greatest physicists and mathematicians.